Product Description

In these hilarious stories of perverse meetings, casual dates and romantic encounters, we are enthralled, saddened, inspired and surprised by the encounters we witness. McCall Smith, a master of the unexpected and a seamless storyteller, revels in offering us the quirky complications inherent in entanglements which human beings engineer for themselves - entanglements that can be shocking, edifying, compulsive, complicated and sometimes, completely disastrous. This is an exceptional collection of stories from an author whose rapidly growing audience delights in his extraordinary imagination and delicious insights into the endlessly fascinating peculiarities of the human condition.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #95689 in Books
• Published on: 2003-09-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

About the Author
ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH is best known for his series of No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books, bestsellers in the UK and America. A practising Professor of Medical Law and the author of over 50 books, ranging from children's fiction to folk tales to The Criminal Law of Botswana, he lives in Edinburgh.

Customer Reviews

yes but what happens next?
Having devoured all the Precious Ramotswe books so far, which convince me that she does exist and if I go to Botswana I will find her, I was directed to buy this in the absence of book no. 6 in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. McCall Smith is a gifted storyteller who makes you want to visit the places in which his characters live, find them and see what happened next, ie. pick up where the short story finished. Practically every tale in this book made me sigh when I finished it and also made me want to travel the world and have the same experiences. Clever stories, tangible personalities and recognisable quandaries - a brilliant bedside read. But no redbush tea - that remains the exclusive tipple of Mma Ramtoswe.

A complete waste of time
No matter how much you like Alexander McCall Smith, don't be tempted to buy this book. I don't know if the stories come from a time when he was just a novice writer but I thought they were awful. The so-called 'twists' at the end are such a let-down. It's as if the publishers just wanted to cobble together some old stuff to con people out of more money.

I know people who have tried these short stories and been very disappointed by them and then not wanted to read any of his other stuff - if you are one of those people, don't worry, the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series and The Sunday Philosophy Club are great reads - don't be put off by this dismal collection.

Dull, frustrating and a waste of time and money
Like many others I have been working my way through the McCall Smith back catelogue whilst waiting for the next in the No.1 Ladies series to come out (and yippee, the next one 'Blue Shoes and Happiness' is expected on 9th March). I loved the characters his other books but I found the characters in this group of short stories disappointing and frustrating.

Now I know its the nature of short stories to leave you wanting more or wanting to know 'what happens now?' but these stories were lack-lustre and flat and, to be honest, I had no empathy or sympathy with the characters and I found myself not caring about what happened to them either.

The synopsis above says "In these hilarious stories of perverse meetings, casual dates and romantic encounters, we are enthralled, saddened, inspired and surprised by the encounters we witness." I was not enthralled or saddened or inspired or surprised. I was pretty bored by the stories actually. I also didnt find the subjects shocking instead I was left wondering why he bothered to write about such dull people.

Ho hum I guess it bought him a new Rolls or house or whatever so save your £'s for Mme Ramotswe's next instalment.